Research & Papers

Distributed control framework for AC/DC hybrid microgrid BESSs enables plug-and-play

Researchers propose a cloud-based multi-agent system for battery coordination in hybrid microgrids...

Deep Dive

Researchers from Nankai University (Yalin Zhang, Zhongxin Liu, Zengqiang Chen) have published a paper on arXiv proposing a distributed cooperative control framework for AC/DC hybrid battery energy storage systems (ADHB) within an Energy Internet (EI) paradigm. The hybrid microgrid combines the advantages of both AC and DC subgrids, connected via Bidirectional Interlink Power Converters (BILPCs). The paper addresses the challenge of differing droop characteristics between subgrids by designing a flexible secondary controller implemented through multi-agent systems (MAS) operating over a cloud server. The framework enables State-of-Charge balance, proportional power sharing, and frequency/voltage restoration across the entire system.

A key innovation is the support for group plug-and-play functionality: adding or removing a BESS subsystem is achieved by simply adding or removing an inter-MAS interaction link. For a single BILPC, active/reactive power, frequency, and voltage are adjusted by an AC BESS. For parallel BILPCs in the EI, a decentralized secondary control scheme is proposed. The authors analyze communication delay issues and stability, and validate the scheme through simulation results. This approach promises a scalable, resilient control architecture for next-generation community microgrids and the broader Energy Internet.

Key Points
  • Framework achieves State-of-Charge balance and proportional power sharing across AC and DC subgrids.
  • Supports plug-and-play for battery systems by adding or removing inter-agent communication links.
  • Decentralized secondary control handles parallel Bidirectional Interlink Power Converters (BILPCs) with stability analysis.

Why It Matters

This scalable control approach could accelerate adoption of hybrid microgrids in communities and the Energy Internet.

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